Grain spout



Aug. 22, 1961 L. A. EMANUELSON GRAIN SPOUT Filed April 13. 1959 FIG. 3

FIG.4

INVENTOR LEO A. EMANUELSON ATTORNEYS p 2,997,150 1C6 PatenteclAugl'ZZ,1961 2,997,150 GRAIN SPUUT Leo A. Emanuelson, 6201 4th Ave. 5.,Minneapolis 23, Minn.

Filed Apr. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 805,832 9 Claims. (Cl. 193-25) The hereindisclosed invention relates to flexible grain spouts and has for anobject to provide. a flexible grain spout consisting of telescopingsections connected together by chains and in which the wear may bedistributed throughout the entire circumferential area of the sections.

Another object. of the invention resides in providing a grain spout'inwhich the sections may be easily and quickly rotated relative to oneanother and relative to the supporting structure to prevent undue wearat certain portions of the sections.

A still further object of the invention resides in constructing eachsection with a tubular body tapered in form and in providing the upperand larger ends of the body with an outwardly extending rim having anoutwardly extending flange and a downwardly extending skirt forming adownwardly facing annular recess and inproviding a number of pairs ofoppositely disposed notchesin the lower marginal portion of the skirtopen from beneath.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a ring adapted toencircle the body and to enter said recess from beneath and to furtherprovide pins extending outwardly from said ring and adapted to bereceived in said notches, said rings being connected together by chainsadapted to support the sections for articulation, said sections beingcircumferentially adjustable relative to the rings to bring the pinsinto engagement with diiferent notches in the skirts of the rims.

' Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterillustrated and/or described.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a flexible grain spout illustrating anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one of the supporting rings of theinvention.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional detail view taken on line 44 of FIG.2 and drawn to a greater scale.

The invention consists of a number of sections 10, 11, 12, 13, etc,usually about twelve sections connected tgether. Each of the sections isidentical in construction and only the section which is shown in detailin FIGS. 2 and 4 will be described. This section consists of a tubularbody '14 constructed of sheet metal and which is tapered, being ofgreatest diameter at its upper end and of least diameter at its lowerend 16. The upper end of the body portion 14 is formed with a rim havingan outwardly extending flange 16 and a skirt 17 depending therefrom andspaced from the body proper. This construction provides an annular space18 between said and body 14 closed at the upper end through the flange16. The skirt 17 is formed with an even number divisible by four ofequally spaced notches 19 along its lower exposed edge 29.

Operating in conjunction with the body 14 is an annular ring 21 shown indetail in FIG. 3. This ring is of such dimension as to freely fit withinthe space 18 of the body 14 as shown in FIG. 4. The said ring has fourpins 22 projecting outwardly therefrom and which are adapted to bedisposed in any of the notches 19.

For connecting the sections together, a number of chains 23 are providedwhich have links of sufficient size to receive the pins 22. These linksfit over the pins and cotter keys 24 extending through the outer ends ofsaid pins hold the links attached to the same. By means of thisconstruction, the various sections may articulate to cause the spout toflex and move to various positions to deliver the grain to the desiredlocality.

Theuppcr section 12 of the spout is attached to a connecting fitting 25which forms part of the regular equipment of the elevator in which thespout is used. This fitting has at its lower end a neck 26 which extendsinto the spout 12. The same also has issuing outwardly from it lugs 27and to which the upper ends of the chains 23 are attached 7 The deviceis used in the customary manner. However, at frequent intervals thetubular bodies 14 of the sections are raised until the notches 29 clearthe pins 22. The bodies can then be rotated so that the pins will bereceived in other notches. 'Ihus the wear on the sections can be sembledand all of the corresponding parts being identical in construction,spare parts can be maintained on hand and the spout continuously kept inoperating order. The parts are easily assembled and the adjustment toredu wear easily and quickly made.

Changes in the specific form of the invention, as herein described, maybe made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to beprotected by Letters Patent is:

1. A flexible grain spout comprising a number of sections each having atapered telescoping body formed with a rim at its upper larger end,anannular supporting structure encircling said body, said body beingcircumferentially movable relative thereto, said body havingcircumferentially arranged diametrically disposed pairs of contactmembers and cooperating pairs of contact members on said riminterchangeably engageable with the contact members of said supportingstructure, means on said contact members restraining circumferentialmovement between said supporting structures and bodies when said contactmembers are engaged, and tethering means connecting said supportingstructures together.

2. A flexible grain spout comprising a number of sections each having atapered telescoping body with the larger end uppermost, a supportingstructure encircling said body at its upper end and circumferentiallymovable relative thereto, said supporting structure havingcircumferentially arranged spaced upwardly facing contact members, saidbody having at its upper end downwardly facing cooperating contactmembers interchangeably engageable with the contact members on saidsupporting structure, said coacting contact members havinglongitudinally extending contacting surfaces, which when said contactmembers are engaged restrain relative circumferential movement betweensaid supporting structures and bodies, and tethering means connectingsaid supporting structures together.

3. A flexible grain spout comprising a number of sections each having atapered telescoping body with the larger end uppermost, a rim issuingoutwardly from the upper end of said body, a ring encircling said bodyportion at the locality of said rim and movable circuferentiallyrelative thereto, said ring having circumferentially arranged spacedupwardly facing contact members, said rim having downwardly facingcooperating spaced contact members interchangeably 'engageable with thecontact members of said ring, means on said contact members restrainingcircumferential movement between said rings and said bodies when saidcontact members are engaged and tethering means connecting said ringstogether.

.4. A flexible grain spout comprising a number of sections each having atapered telescoping body with the larger end uppermost, a supportingstructure encircling said body at its upper end and circumferentiallymovable arela ine the said suppo t ng s r cture having a circumferentialpart, and said body having a juxtaposed cir cumferential part, one ofsaid parts having a number of circumferentially arranged fulcrums, andthe other of said parts having a number of sockets adapted to receivesaid fulcrums and interchangeably engageable therewith, said fulcrumsand sockets providing, when in engagement, surfaces restrainingcircumferential relative movement between said supporting structures andbodies, and tethering means connecting Said supporting structurestogether.

5. A flexible grain spout comprising a number of sec-, tions each havinga tapered telescoping body with the larger end uppermost, a rim issuingoutwardly from the upper end of said body, a ring encircling said bodyat the locality of said rim and movable circumferentially relativethereto, said ring having circumferentially arranged spaced upwardlyfacing pins issuing radially outwardly therefrom, said rim havingdownwardly facing open sockets interchangeably laterally engageable withsaid pins, and tethering means connecting said rings together.

6. A flexible grain spout comprising a number of sections each having atapered telescoping body with the larger end uppermost, a rim issuingoutwardly from the upper end of said body, a ring encircling said bodyat the locality of said rim and movable circumferentially relativethereto, said ring 'having circumferentially arranged spaced pinsissuing radially outwardly therefrom, said rim having sockets facingsaid pins and interchangeably 1aterally engageable therewith, andtethering means connecting said rings together.

7. A flexible grain spout comprising a number of sections each having atapered telescoping body with the larger end uppermost, a rim at theupper end of said body portion and having an outwardly extending flangeand a depending skirt issuing therefrom and forming a downwardl y facingannular recess encircling said body, upon the exterior thereof andopening downwardly, a ring encircling said body and received in saidrecess, said ring having radially extending pins issuing outwardlytherefrom and projecting beyond said skirt, downwardly facing opensockets formed on the lower edge of said skirt and interchangeablyreceiving said pins, and tethering means connecting said rings together.

8. A flexible grain spout comprising a number of sections each having atapered telescoping body with the larger end uppermost, a rim at theupper end of said body and having an outwardly extending flange and adepending skirt issuing therefrom and forming a downwardly facingannular recess encircling said body, upon the exterior thereof andopening downwardly, a ring encircling said body portion and received insaid recess, said ring having radially extending pins issuing outwardlytherefrom and projecting beyond said skirt, downwardly facing opensockets formed on the lower edge of said skirt and interchangeablyreceiving said pins, and tethers connected to said pins,

9. A flexible grain spout comprising a number-of sections each having atubular body telescoping with the adjoining body, 'a rim at the upperend of said body and having an outwardly extending flange and adepending skirt issuing downwardly therefrom said skirt havingdownwardly facing open sockets formed on the lower edge thereof, asupporting structure disposed below said flange and having contactmembers interchangeably received in the sockets in said skirt and whenreceived therein restraining circumferential relative movement betweensaid supporting structures and said bodies.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS512,394 Robinson Jan. 9, 1894 589,516 Weber Sept. 7, 1897 830,957 BaierSept. 11, 1906 1,476,830 Newell Dec. 11, 1923 2,838,152 Aumann June 10,1958

